TheCable

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) says the police killed three of its members during a procession in Kaduna state on Tuesday.

The police had warned the proscribed group against embarking on activities they described as ”an act of advancement of terrorism”.

But the Shi’ite group defied the warning of the police and embarked on processions across the country, though the movement said it was marking ”Ashura” a religious obligation.

It held a march in Abuja which was largely peaceful, but reports of the procession from other parts of the country paint a gory picture.

Yahaya Muhammed, media coordinator of the IMN, told TheCable that three persons, including a minor was killed in Kaduna while they were observing the religious ritual.

”In Abuja it (the procession) was peaceful because the police could not stop us,” he said.

”Three persons were killed in Kaduna, including a minor. In Gombe, there was shooting one person was confirmed dead. In Azare local government (area) in Bauchi one person was confirmed dead.”

But the police have denied the claim.

Yakubu Sabo, spokesman of the Kaduna police command,  told TheCable that there was no report of casualty and that the group was making up stories to win public sympathy.

“Based on the report we have, there was no casualty. We received a report that they were sighted around Biakin Ruwa bypass, and our men went there and dispersed them professionally,” he said.

”That has been their (IMN) approach to make frivolous claims. This is a group that has been proscribed by the state and federal government. The police will not fold its arms; we dispersed them professionally. There was no report of casualty. They are just making this claim to seek public sympathy.”

Confrontations between the Shi’ite group and the police, resulting in loss of lives and property, have become frequent since the detention of its leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.